TOW Colin Turns Up At Ross and Emily's Wedding
by imagineif
Summary: As the title says... One shot. Classification? Well it's not Ross and Emily.


**Emily's wedding**

He had just said Rachel.

Emily stared at him in horror as he fumbled and stumbled over the names. She wanted to die, disappear, anything. She did not understand why she did not faint? Why couldn't she have lost consciousness, to be protected from this horrible moment.

How could he do this to her? Everyone in the room seemed struck dumb. What should she do next? No-one was helping her - not even her father, but he had only ever been there to give her money, not to give her any emotional support. And Andrea wouldn't save a drowning puppy in case it ruined her manicure. To run away would mean going past all those people.

'Emily.' She spun round to face the back of the room, open mouthed. Colin? What was he doing here? She hadn't invited him, out of respect for Ross - a compliment he had refused to reciprocate - but he had turned up anyway.

'Colin?'

'Emily,' Colin said, walking forward.

'W-What?' Ross stuttered, staring as Colin advanced towards them. He was well dressed, though not formally dressed for a wedding. Chandler edged closer to Ross. Emily stepped towards Colin.

'What are you doing here? I told you not to come,' Emily said shakily. She had forgotten how attractive he was - when she'd seen him last, just after Ross's declaration of love, she and Colin had not resolved their differences. Differences about his commitment to her.

'I know you did but I couldn't stay away. It's not over until the vows are said,' Colin said, taking Emily's hands. Rachel, who had been sitting in shock at the back of the room jolted to a further shock. 'I love you Emily.'

'Hey,' Ross said, 'What are you doing?'

'Talking to my girl,' Colin said, not taking his eyes off Emily.

'She's mine!' Ross said.

'When you can remember her name you can talk to her about it,' Colin said to him dismissively.

'Colin - ' Emily began in a tremulous voice.

'You stay out of my wedding,' Ross said to Colin and then took Emily by the shoulders. 'Emily,' Ross said, 'Listen to me. I love you. That slip I made, didn't mean anything, I swear, I love you and I want to marry you.' Emily stared at him and then looked at Colin, who still held one of her hands. She drew her hands back to herself and hid her face in them, allowing Ross to pull her forwards. This was her fiance, this was the one who wanted to marry her, who had urged her to. She could stand here passively and let them get on with it. 'Emily, let's get married.'

'Don't,' Colin said. 'I love you, he doesn't. Don't do it.'

'I do love you,' Ross protested.

'This clot can't even get your name right, how can you believe him?' Colin said. 'Your name is engraved on my heart. You're the only one for me, but even if you don't want me back, you can't settle for this idiot.' Emily pushed Ross away and walked towards an empty space turning her back on everyone. Her bridesmaid Felicity made as if to follow but then stayed where she was. Ross and Colin eyed each other up. Chandler stood near Ross to make sure that he didn't suddenly wallop Colin for insulting him.

'Emily?' her father said but she didn't move.

'Does anyone know who this Rachel person is?' Emily's stepmother asked loudly. Rachel shrank back and the others avoided looking at her. There was a murmuring as the guest speculated as to what would happen next.

Images, feelings and thoughts flashed through Emily's mind. Ross wanted to marry her, so he said, but did he know what he wanted? 'Rachel' was not an accident, no matter what he said. Did she want to live in that claustrophobic little unit of six friends - or five friends and one ex-girlfriend hanging about like a bad smell? Did she really want to leave her life behind? And what did she feel about Colin? In her moment of need, he was the one who had turned up and she wasn't sure whether what she felt was merely gratitude or something more. But she had plenty of time to work that out.

Emily turned around and walked back to Ross and Colin. She looked at Colin.

'Take me away from here,' she said, putting her hand in his.

'Emily!' Ross exclaimed as Colin swept her off her feet. She heard a clapping from those wedding guests who happened to be friends of Colin's. Emily wrapped her arms around Colin's neck.

'You look so beautiful, I'd marry you now,' he murmured.

'I've had enough of weddings for one day,' she said. She didn't need a wedding - she just needed the chance of a future.

'You can't go!' Ross exclaimed.

'Good bye Ross,' Emily said, and it was easier than she'd thought it would be. Who knew what was going to happen next? It might work, it might not. But with a sudden lightness of heart, she knew she was going to enjoy finding out.


End file.
